The most prestigious awards, the Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year, were given to men's soccer player Derek Rogalsky (Richland, Wash.) and women's soccer player Kate Edstrom (Portland, Ore.). Rogalsky has been a starting defender over the past two seasons while maintaining a 3.88 grade point average as a biochemistry major. He plans to defer his acceptance into Georgetown Medical School for a year to teach and do mission work in Haiti after graduation. Edstrom started every match of her college career, helping her team maintain one of the best defenses in the country. A nursing major with a 3.87 grade point average, she is a three-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honoree.
For the second straight year, Bryson Chiu (Carmel, Ind.) of the men's swim team won the Bill Fenton 101 Club Male Athlete of the Year. Chiu won three individual and one relay title at the 2010 PCSC Championships, helping his squad finish a program-best second in the team standings. The Bill Fenton 101 Club Female Athlete of the Year was awarded to Kara Kuttler (Redmond, Wash.) of the women's soccer team. Kuttler scored a team-high 10 goals during the 2009 season, including game-winning goals against Idaho and at UC Santa Barbara.
A third member of the 2009 women's soccer team picked up her own award, as senior Jamie Peterson (Bellevue, Wash.) received the individual Mission Award for her work with the Rotary Boys and Girls Club, the Children's Literacy Project, Centro de la Raza, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The team Mission Award was given to the baseball team for their work with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation in "adopting" Adrian Smith and raising money for the organization through their Flex-Off and T-shirt sales.
For the first time, the Mark Escandon University Sports Service Award was given to two students for their work in assisting the department. Ben Guthrie (Berkeley, Calif.) of the men's swim team was this year's president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as well as the coordinator of the Awards Show who showed his willingness to volunteer for anything that needed to be done. Fellow senior Sara Leady has been the manager for the men's soccer team over the past four years, has also helped the men's basketball team, and brought a live voice to the National Anthem on numerous occasions.
The women's swim team's come-from-behind victory in the 400 medley relay at the PCSC Championships was named the Competition of the Year, as Rachel Leighter (Eugene, Ore.), Alexis Morehouse (Vancouver, Wash.), Briley Boggs (Federal Way, Wash.), and Elizabeth Hanohano (Honolulu, Hawaii) combined to break the school record with a time of 3:50.27. Other nominees for the award included the men's soccer team's 1-0 overtime victory over Oregon State, the men's basketball team's 77-74 upset victory at the University of Utah, and Tom Mezzera's victory in the 400 meter dash at the Great West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
For the second straight year, several freshmen were honored for the contributions they made to their respective teams with the Freshman 15 Award: Meeghan Bergmann (track and field), Kelly Biette (volleyball), Troy Bratten (soccer), Lauren Hammerle (cross country/track and field), Yusuke Kanehira (tennis), Steffanie Mortera (tennis), Carlee Norquist (soccer), Shannon Quinn (golf), Shelby Remillard (swimming), Kelton Sears (cross country/track and field), Rob Seibly (golf), Ryan Somers (baseball), Jennifer Stolle (cross country/track and field), Jessica Ulrich (softball), and Joe Wertz (swimming).
Katie Antich (Spokane, Wash.) of the softball team and Taylor Olson (Seattle, Wash.) of the men's basketball team hosted the event, participating in a couple of skits. Several videos were also shown during the 75-minute show, including the highlight video showcasing some of the best moments from the past nine months. After the show, the student-athletes gathered with the coaches and athletics staff for an ice cream social in the lobby of the Pigott Building.